Once
by fallenxfate
Summary: [NejiSasu][Lemon] No matter how they struggle, they can’t escape life…or fate.


**Disclaimer**: I don't own the characters.

**A/N**: Somebody please shoot me now. It'd be easier than waiting for my mind to shut itself down. Or you could poison me, I suppose. Just make sure it's fast-acting, dammit.

**Warnings**: Slight profanity, short unsatisfying don't-shoot-me-it's-my-first-time-doing-this lemon, hints of death.

**Summary**: NejiSasu. Lemon. No matter how they struggle, they can't escape life…or fate.

* * *

"_This has been said so many times that I'm not sure if it matters  
but we never stood a chance  
and I'm not sure if it matters."_

-Fall Out Boy

* * *

It was only supposed to happen once again, and only for the old memories. They were grown. It was in the past. And they had children, _children_, for God's sake.

Hyuuga Neji, the genius of his clan, ANBU captain, married to Hyuuga Tenten, the weapons mistress, Jounin. Two children: Twins, fraternal, Hyuuga Haruka, female, and Hyuuga Hajime, male, both academy students. They would be the first to escape the terrible curse seal that would forever plague their father, and looking upon their pale, unscathed foreheads brought him pain and healing all wrapped in a package, with despair as the little bow on top. And they carried the same noble blood that he did—both were competing for the top spot in the class with each other—and Uchiha Akeno.

Uchiha Sasuke, the only surviving member of his clan, ANBU sub-captain, married to Uchiha Sakura, the medic-nin, who had just gotten into ANBU. Two children: Uchiha Akeno, male, currently in the Academy, and Uchiha Kano, male, only four and showing great capabilities, perhaps more so than his older brother—he had already mastered the Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu, a full two and a half years before Akeno had done the same. And Sakura was expecting again—a girl, hopefully one that would be as healthy as her two brothers before her.

So really, it was not meant to be. Instead, they had done what the damn village had said to do. Breed some children, pass on the blood, and make some pretty genius kids. That they had done.

"How is Sakura?" asked Neji stiffly, like the words didn't suit him.

Carefully, the Uchiha gathered a mess of words. They were words that did not suit him, and tumbled out of his mouth and carried off by the wind clumsily. "She's, she's…fine." He let out a small sigh. "Only one month left now."

"You're nervous, I expect." Not a question, but a statement.

"Of course."

There was silence, but the black and white eyes that stared at each other said more than words could even touch. Sadness, anger, agony, pain, sacrifice…and for what?

For what? they asked, never a sound leaving either of their mouths.

"But there's no backing out once it's started," whispered the Hyuuga.

A small smirk laced Sasuke's lips. "And what are you referring to?"

"Everything and nothing at all."

He missed it, listening to the ANBU captain spout philosophical words like a normal person said the day's gossip. He missed everything about it. Instead of words that sounded like they should belong in a poetry book, every day he heard cheerful, but those oh-so-bland words, from the lips of his pink-haired wife.

To the both of them, marriage was nothing. Marriage was just a way of reproducing without scrutiny from villagers. There was no love in their marriages.

The white-eyed Hyuuga reached over to touch his shoulder. And though it was pathetic in both of their minds, that was enough to create _something_. Something that had been lying in both of them, silent and waiting, like the hawk perching, talons flexing and cruel, sharp beak ready to tear into its prey, until that moment where everything clicked and it was just _right_, and then pounced.

When their faces were roughly two centimeters apart, though, a high-pitched voice called, "Neji-kun! Hey, where are you? Haruka and Hajime said you would train with them?"

Neji drew back, looking down, his pale face tinged with pink. "Coming, Tenten," he called, not nearly as enthusiastic as the other. He looked at Sasuke.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, and walked off, not looking back.

Sasuke watched, emotionless and empty until the Hyuuga was out of sight. He sighed:

"Sorry just doesn't cut it anymore, Neji…No, not again…"

* * *

"Sasuke-kun…Sasuke-kun…_Sasuke-kun…_SASUKE, ARE YOU LISTENING?" screamed a certain moody, pregnant pink-haired medic-nin. 

"What do you want?" snapped the Uchiha, who had been brooding quietly at the table, his hands creased in front of him, and a look of deep thought on his face, his peace being shattered by the screams of his wife.

Sakura seemed a little worried at Sasuke's behavior. "Anou, Sasuke-kun, I just wanted to talk," she said anxiously, sensing it was not a good time.

The Uchiha returned to his thoughts. "Go talk to Ino," he commanded.

"I can't walk that far…"

"Fine, talk."

Immediately, the pink-haired woman cheered. "I've been thinking about baby names," she said happily. "I like Ayame, or maybe Azarni…"

Sasuke looked up. "We already have Akeno and Kano, those names are too alike. Adding another A name will be confusing. And I'm not naming my child after a flower."

Immediately Sakura began to pout. "But Sasuke-kun, _you_ named Akeno and Kano. I want to choose a name. They're my kids too, you know."

"Hn. Where are they, anyway?"

"At Neji and Tenten's place, why?"

He stiffened, and his frown deepened. "Why are they there?" he questioned silkily. Sakura blinked.

"When I have they baby, they'll be living with Tenten for awhile, since I'll be busy with the child and work, and you will be off on missions." She blinked again. "Are you okay, Sasuke?"

He got up. "I'm going to go get them."

"What? Why? Sasuke-kun, does this have to do with—?"

But he had already disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

* * *

Neji watched his children play with the Uchihas. _Kano is very mature for his age,_ he noted, with a small smile. _He'll be just like…yes, he even looks…_

Kano was a spitting image of his father. He had dark hair that spiked not upwards, like Sasuke's, but down, which achieved the same effect anyway. His eyes were dark and serious, and his body was a perfect balance between strong offense and defense. He was less social than his brother, preferring to think to himself.

Akeno, on the other hand, looked a bit like both of his parents. He had dark hair that he had cut just below ear-length, a bit like Sakura's. His eyes were an amazing emerald green, just a shade darker than his mother's. There was potential in his wiry frame, but who he really looked like was…

Itachi, Uchiha Itachi, the missing-nin. Neji let a small sigh out. Akeno would not be another Itachi, but he looked a lot like the Akatsuki. If he grew his hair out, then with the small, slanting lines under his eyes, he would be like a mirror-image of his uncle, the only difference being the eyes.

Neji, like Sasuke, had history with the infamous killer, but he preferred not to think about it. Yet, Akeno brought back those memories… (1)

He looked at his children too, his twins. Haruka would be the next him. Hajime would be the next Tenten. He could see it already.

Haruka was serious, graceful, and strong, all the traits that she had gotten from Neji. Her Byakugan was strengthened by the training that her father had done, and passed down to her via genes—whenever the Byakugan improved in range or accuracy, it's genetic makeup changed to match this, so Haruka and Hajime could already see at the maximum their father could. Her chakra control was exquisite, as good as his had been at her age.

But Hajime. Hajime would go down in Hyuuga history as the first weapons master, as well as a Legendary Pervert. Needless to say, he would get this trait from admiring Naruto, as well as 'discovering' what the Byakugan was useful for besides battle. His hair was a light brown, and he wore it messy and short, with locks of hair obscuring his view constantly. But at 'almost seven,' as they put it, he was still innocent as could be, merely enjoying a sunny afternoon with his twin, best friend, and best friend's little brother.

He watched as Hajime laughed uncontrollably. "Ha—stop, stoppit, that tickles, ha, aheehee!" squealed the young boy, as Akeno began to tickle him mercilessly, Haruka giggling quietly and Kano standing next to Haruka.

"Hey."

Without looking behind him, Neji remarked, "You're getting quieter, but—"

"—I know. Irregular step pattern, right?"

"We've gone over this before, haven't we, Sasuke?"

The Uchiha almost smirked. "We've gone over a lot of things before."

"And yet, you make it sound dirtier than it is."

* * *

"How is Tenten?" asked Sasuke suddenly. The two ANBU were sitting in the lush grass, watching their children play. 

"She's fine. Haven't we had a similar conversation not long ago?"

The Uchiha smiled slightly. "Yes, we did. We could repeat that, but our children would not approve, now would they?"

"That can be remedied simply," pointed out Neji. Raising his voice, he called, "You four! Tenten wants you in the house for a snack!"

The Uchiha and Hyuuga children giggled and began to run off, leaving the two to converse freely.

"Sakura wants to name my child Azarni," said Sasuke suddenly, sounding as if the name had done him a great injustice.

Neji raised an eyebrow. "And I suppose you have a better name than that?"

"Better, at the very least."

"Sasuke?"

The Sharingan user paused. "What?"

"Cut this shit, please. You're obviously here for something other than to talk about flowery names."

"You read me so well."

"Thank you, now please, get to the point."

Sasuke almost smiled. This was the stuff that he missed. When they talked, both of their masks came off, and they could be themselves. They would spar with words, then heal each other with those very same. "You miss it too, don't you?" he asked quietly.

The Hyuuga laid back, letting his dark-chocolate hair fall around him gracefully. "Miss what?"

The other scowled, and replied, "You know perfectly well what I'm talking about."

Neji shifted his weight. "I do," he said softly. "But I want to hear you say it."

Sasuke sighed, letting his hands drop to the ground, touching the other's long, silky hair. "I miss it…I have for the past—what is it, eight years? I hate living without somebody to talk to like I can talk to you. I don't like Sakura; she's a nagging bitch and tries too hard for _everything._"He heard a gentle laugh.

"You've changed too," remarked Neji. "Would you have changed if I were still…around?

"That's not the point," said the Uchiha, looking like he was getting close to pouting. "Do you miss it…everything?"

There was a pregnant pause. "I miss it…but that's the beauty of it, Sasuke. We're not supposed to even think about each other anymore. We have…families…and yet, did you know that I've never told Tenten that I love her? Because if I tried…she'd know I was lying." White eyes stared at black, black eyes stared at white. "But I couldn't leave Haruko and Hajime…those are my children. I can leave Tenten. I can't leave them."

Sasuke felt like his heart was skipping beats. "So if…if you wanted and I wanted…it could just be us again? Except, with children?" he asked, knowing how naïve his question was, and yet still hoped it could be.

The Hyuuga closed his eyes. "Akeno and Kano, however much I cherish them as the children of my love…they are not my children. Haruko and Hajime will never be your children either."

"So you couldn't…love me again?" asked Sasuke, desperate gripping onto what little hope he had left. "Not after waiting for seven years for this? Like you promised?"

Neji's brow creased. "I don't know anymore…I just don't know…"

_

* * *

Flashback whee! _

_"Hyuuga, I'm here, like you said. Now spill," commanded a rather pissed-looking Uchiha. "I hope it's good, for your own sake."_

_"Che, you've only been back in Konoha for a year. If you kill somebody now, you'll never be accepted." Neji smirked. "Besides, since I'm your captain, I do hold authority, remember?"_

_"All too well, Hyuuga."_

_"So, why am I here?"_

_Neji almost leaned over the shorter man. "Have you ever gotten the stupid feeling that you're in love with somebody who hates you?" he asked._

_The Sharingan user blinked. "First of all, Hyuuga, Tenten is not even close to hating you, and second, don't you thi—"_

_"This isn't about Tenten!" snapped Neji, who had of course been going out with her for a few months at the time. "I knew you wouldn't understand. Goodbye and good day, Uchiha, hope I see you in he—"_

_"Wait."_

_The ANBU captain paused in his tracks. "What is it?"_

_Sasuke stepped to catch up with the older man. "Yes. Yes, I have," he admitted, looking reluctant to say it. "Why do you ask?"_

_Neji shrugged, and nonchalantly replied, "To put it in simple terms, I feel a certain degree of attraction to you, and not Tenten. I was merely seeing if you felt the same way."_

_The Uchiha smirked. "So basically, you're asking me on a…_

_

* * *

"DATE? SASUKE HAS A DATE WITH THE__ HYUUGA NEJI?" screamed Sakura. "Oh Tenten-chan…I'm so, so sorry, Tenten…"_ THE 

_Tenten's eyes were pink and tears ran down her face. "W-what did I do to him?" she wailed, head in Sakura's lap. "What did I do to deserve this? Wasn't I g-good to him?"_

_Sakura nearly smashed a vase. "Dammit. Neji better have a good explanation for this," she hissed. "Not something stupid like…_

_"Because I wanted to," he said simply. Sakura felt like bashing his head in._

_"You freaking broke poor Tenten's heart! Don't you feel anything for that?" she snarled._

_The ANBU blinked. "Of course I do, she is my teammate. But I don't feel any love towards her besides friendship."_

_"Then why would you date her?"_

_"She wanted me to."_

_"And you want to date Sasuke?"_

_The Hyuuga smirked. "Are you jealous, Sakura-san?"_

_The medic-nin nearly stepped back. "What?" she snapped. "This isn't about me, it's about Tenten!"_

_"But how am I to know if you want me to 'reconnect' with her so you can date your precious Sasuke-kun?"_

_Sakura scowled. _Damn that Hyuuga, his high IQ, and logic skills!_ she thought to herself. "Fine, be an ass. Just don't come crying to me when Sasuke breaks your heart and…"_

_

* * *

"She said that?" asked Sasuke, looking amused. "I didn't know she felt that way." _

_Neji replied, "Oh, yes. Apparently she thinks that you are the type who will use me for sex and move on."_

_"Aa. Then don't tell her I'm still a virgin."_

_The Hyuuga looked surprised. "You are?"_

_"You aren't?" Sasuke shot back._

_He closed his white eyes. "What, want to hear the story?"_

_"Of who got my 'hah-so-much-better-than-thou' ANBU captain laid? How could I refuse blackmail like that?."_

_Neji relaxed in his chair. "Not much of a story to tell, really. Ino hooked me up with some random chick, she got me so inebriated that I would do anything without thinking about it, and ended up having sex. And of course, regretting it in the morning when I was attacked dually by a splitting headache and this random girl in my bed."_

_"That's simply beautiful. Remind me to lace your drinks with alcohol."_

_"Why, do you _want_ to have…"_

_

* * *

Sex. Sex was the final step for them, though it came very soon. They had only been dating perhaps a month and a half when they finally broke down and did it. _

_Whispered promises, screams that echoed love, breaths gliding down each other's skin, touching, kissing…_

_Promises, almost forgotten…_

_

* * *

"I promise," said Neji. "I promise, seven years from now, right now__, I'll ask you to marry me."_ right now 

_"Why seven?" asked Sasuke._

_"Why not?"_

_"You promise?"_

_"I promise."_

_

* * *

The next day, Neji broke off his relation with the Uchiha and began dating Tenten again. _

* * *

"You won't keep your promise," accused Sasuke, masking the hurt he was feeling with anger. "Stupid Hyuuga…" 

The words echoed somewhere in Neji's memory.

_

* * *

"Che, you aren't as good as you think you are, Hyuuga," the Uchiha genius had said smoothly, after pinning the older to a tree. _

_Neji smirked. "So you think, do you?" He released a large amount of chakra, forcing Sasuke away and sent him flying into the air. A few kunai throws, almost as accurate as Tenten (whom he had learned the technique from) traveled past him, pinning the Sasuke to a tree by his clothes._

_Releasing chakra in his feet as they hit the tree, he shot after the other, kunai in hand. The Uchiha looked ahead, fearless, as the blade came only two centimeters from his throat. _

_Turning, the Hyuuga dropped the kunai, letting it imbed itself into the soft ground._

_"Stupid Hyuuga…" he heard Sasuke hiss as he left._

_That was the first time the fourteen-year-old Neji had felt a slight flutter somewhere deep in his heart…_

* * *

Sasuke turned his back on the Hyuuga, and began to walk away. "I'm going home," he spat. "You aren't—I'm not—Sakura—It's done. I'm done." 

But he didn't walk for long. Neji had followed, and grabbed the other's pale, slim arm and brought their lips together in a bruising kiss.

* * *

Hajime chased Haruka down the hill, up the hill, back down again, with Akeno and Kano trying to stay out of the young Hyuuga's way, in a game of tag. Then, the boy stopped. "'Ruka-nee-san, isn't that Chichiue over there?" 

The older twin stopped and took a look, as did Akeno and Kano. "Hey, Aniki, that's our Chichiue there too!" exclaimed Kano.

Haruka turned on her Byakugan. "It looks like they're…kissing!"

Akeno looked surprised. "Your Chichiue isn't supposed to kiss my Chichiue!"

"Nuh-uh! _Your_ Chichiue isn't supposed to kiss _my_ Chichiue!" retorted Hajime.

The four children blinked.

"Maybe we should get Tenten-oba-san," suggested Kano. The other three blinked, probably thinking something along the lines of, _Duh! Why didn't I think of that! Kano's the youngest one here! Wow, now I feel really stupid…_

With that, the Hyuuga and Uchiha children ran off to consult Tenten.

* * *

Tenten stared down at the children. The children stared back. 

"Well, Neji and Sasuke used to be very close friends. They were probably just hugging," she finally said, rationally.

"But, but, Hahaue, it wasn't a hug! They were kissing!"

The woman sighed. "You're sure it wasn't a hug?"

"They were kissing!"

* * *

They were kissing. 

It was more than just kissing soon: Neji had broken their lips and was placing butterfly kisses down Sasuke's neck. "Mm, mm, stop, somebody could see us," mumbled the Uchiha, looking like he didn't agree with the words.

"Fine," hissed Neji, picking up the other and running.

Fast, fast, faster…

And Sasuke knew that the Hyuuga must have felt this was important, because the only time that the ANBU captain ran was when speed was crucial to success. His usual speed was a moderate walk, calm and collected. It was a trait that he had subconsciously picked up from the famous Nara Shikamaru, who he had served under when he had just gotten into ANBU. The tactical genius made sure all his underlings knew that _patience was the key_, including Uchiha Sasuke.

But he had to say he was a little surprised when Neji unceremoniously dumped him in a random forest clearing.

"Very romantic, sex in the middle of nowhere," he commented.

The other smirked. "ANBU rule thirty-eight, section three, sub-section one…" He continued where they had left off, placing kisses on the Uchiha's sensitive neck and letting his hands roam lower and lower. "…make do with what you have."

He began to tug at the other's shirt, indicating his disapproval of the clothing. Obediently, Sasuke raised his arms, letting Neji get rid of it. Next came his hitai-ate, falling to the ground with a half-dulled metallic thud. The Uchiha forced the same articles of clothing off the other as well, and soon white joined dark blue, littering the forest floor. Two people soon joined them.

"You know, Tenten will come looking for us," said Neji, in between kisses and licks and bites.

_Tenten._ Sasuke could not have possibly hated the woman more. "Will she find us?" he managed to say between moans and fervently returned kisses.

Silence served as the _yes_ that he did not want to hear. "Then you better hurry up," he ordered, as the Hyuuga found his way to his nipple, sucking, biting, teasing. He felt his heartbeat beginning to beat erratically as the same treatment was given to the other.

"She's coming," whispered Neji. "Right at the edge of my range. She's headed in the wrong direction."

"And I _said…_hurry up," was the half-irritated reply.

The Hyuuga stared down at him with his almost condescending gaze. "And I told you, so many times before…you don't tell me what to do," he shot back.

_

* * *

Gotta find Neji. And Sasuke, can't forget him either. I have to find them both! Tenten's thoughts raced through her head at a supernatural speed, carefully throwing up ideas and catching them before they fell and broke. _

_Hajime…Haruka…Akeno…Kano…please, forgive us…you did not have to go through this,_ she thought desperately. _It is my fault, and Sakura's fault, and everybody else's…and if we hadn't been prying fools then none of this would have happened._

_Neji and Sasuke could have lived normal lives, together._

The Hyuuga slipped out of his pants, and wrestled Sasuke's off of his.

_They could have loved each other._

They shared another kiss, burning and furious, that echoed those almost-forgotten promises of so long ago.

_They could have been so much…_

Neji let his hands trail up Sasuke's inner thigh, barely grazing the milky-white skin with his fingernails. He felt the other shiver with the touch, and the Uchiha suddenly found himself holding his breath.

It had been so long, too long.

_They could have made the Uchiha clan great again._ (2)

Sasuke's breathing grew uneven as Neji took him in his mouth, tongue moving up and down the length skillfully. His senses, so deprived of intimate contact, went out of control, his hearing wavering, his eyesight blanking out.

_So why?_

Before the Uchiha could reach completion, though, Neji smirked and removed his mouth, because he was secretly sadistic, though only slightly, at heart and took pleasure from the pained pleasure in the other's dark blue eyes.

_Why do we take pleasure in tearing them apart?_

"Fuck…Hyuuga…" moaned the Uchiha. "You're such a—"

His sentence was broken off as Neji smothered his mouth with his own. "Such a what?" breathed the ANBU captain as their lips separated.

Dark onyx eyes glared back at him. "Such a fucking tease," he hissed back, a look in his eyes that could be mistaken for anger in his eyes.

It wasn't. It was the burning passions of their love, so hot that it would soon burn itself out…

No, this time they would not need those meddling villagers to end their few happy moments together, or the well-meaning Hokage, or their foolish friends.

_Why do we want to take away their happiness? Why do we not let them take away their pain?_

Opalescent eyes stared back. "You want to hurry this up, then?" asked Neji, though he knew the answer perfectly well. He pressed his fingers against Sasuke's lips, and the Uchiha opened his mouth to welcome them willingly.

_And we shatter them…shatter them so only they can fix each other again._

Sasuke's tongue around his fingers was a beautiful feeling. It was fire and ice, and sent a tingling feeling to his hand.

_Healing…and pain…it's nothing more than a circle…_

Taking his fingers from the Uchiha's warm orifice, Neji paused to look down at Sasuke, reveling at how it was _he_ who had the power to bring the dignified ANBU down to a writhing figure (because it wasn't just _anybody_ who had the ability to bring him down to his knees).

He pushed two fingers into Sasuke, not giving him much time to adjust before adding another and beginning to move his fingers in a scissor motion, curling them and inching them up slowly, moving almost too quickly for the Uchiha, too painfully. But they had crossed the boundaries of pain and pleasure. _Pain_ was just another medium of _pleasure_. _Pain_ was just another medium of _healing_.

_And they're caused by the same thing…_

Sometime, for Sasuke's sense were going wild with the assault on him, Neji must have licked his own fingers and let the saliva drip on his own throbbing member, because he felt a much larger organ inside of him, thrusting roughly.

It was good, so good, so much better than sex with Sakura. That was always so smooth and gentle, but a shinobi like Sasuke craved the untamed.

In, out, switch of angle, in, out.

_Love…why does a simple, requited love cause thing like this?_

His body wasn't used to this. It hadn't felt anything like it for seven years. So when Neji started hitting his prostate, over and over again, he was nearly driven over the edge.

_And twist…twist reality into such an unbearable thing…_

And suddenly, it was over.

In the time that it took to blink, Neji had came, filling Sasuke's inside with his seed, withdrew and began to throw clothing at the still-dazed Uchiha.

"She's coming," said Neji.

Sasuke sat up. "Is that it?" he hissed. "You go back to Tenten now? I go back to Sakura? We pretend that this never happened?"

The Hyuuga dressed. "I can't let it happen again," he whispered. "I can't hurt you again. I just can't…"

_Fate will never be on their side._ (3)

* * *

"You were just sparring?" repeated Tenten in an 'I-know-what-you-did-but-I'm-giving-you-the-benefit-of-the-doubt' kind of way. 

Both ANBU nodded stoically.

"And let me get this straight. Sasuke-kun, you…fell down and that's how you…bruised your neck?"

More nods.

"And the reason that you are both soaked in water is because Neji-kun used a water jutsu that just _somehow_ managed to splash him." (4)

"You're _sure_?" she asked, the final question.

More nods.

This was, in Tenten's mind, further proof that females were the superior species. _So arrogant..._

* * *

The next day, Neji almost begged Tsunade for an almost suicidal solo mission. The Hokage granted it, though it took a lot of persuasion from the Hyuuga. 

So many were against it. Friends began to flood the house. "That mission was designed for a four-person squad, Neji!" "You aren't going to leave your kids, are you?" "Somebody else can do it. Come on, Neji, don't be stupid!"

Sasuke had dropped by with Sakura. All he said was, "Don't die, stupid Hyuuga," before leaving.

Tenten had approached her husband with worry in her eyes. "Please, Neji, don't do it…" she whispered.

He lowered his head, but she got no answer.

The next morning, he left on the Iwa Hostage Mission.

* * *

It was almost a month before he staggered back into Konoha, on his last legs and more dead than alive. He had considered letting himself give in and die, but he came back. 

Konoha held its breath as he went under surgery for almost twenty-four hours straight. He came out alive, and with no permanent damage, except a few scars. It was a miracle.

* * *

The second miracle that took place that day was the birth of the third Uchiha child. 

Almost twenty-four hours of labor, and a baby girl was in Uchiha Sakura's arms.

"What should we name her, Sasuke?" she had asked, so dazed she forgot the discussions they had held before.

Sasuke stared out a window, secretly wishing it was not this room he was in, but the one where Neji's friends and family awaited the results of the surgery. "Shukumei," he said firmly. "Her name is Shukumei."

The pink-haired woman frowned. "I thought…Azarni…" she replied slowly.

The Uchiha frowned. "Her name is Shukumei," he repeated, eyes narrowing dangerously. Sakura had no choice but to nod meekly.

That day was the birthday of Uchiha Shukumei, and the day that Neji first thought, albeit faintly, that perhaps Fate really was on his side for once.

* * *

It took three months for Neji to recover, and amazingly, Sasuke was there almost every day. And though it would have come as a shock four months ago, both of them handed in their resignations to ANBU and requested three months of vacation time. Surprisingly, this was all approved; though Tsunade told them once they were done they would have to begin duties as jounin-sensei. 

Nobody was surprised when those three months were spent together, staying in a house by the sea. When they came back, everybody noted a distinct lack of spirit from the two genii.

Tenten had confronted Neji. "We can get a divorce," she whispered.

He shook his head listlessly. "Hajime and Haruka…they need me."

The weapons mistress shook her head gently. "They've lived for almost four months without you. They're growing up, and they need to find their own path…Haruka is ready to graduate from the Academy, and Hajime isn't far behind."

But even if he had agreed, the decision he wanted…was one that he could never have.

_No matter how they struggle, they can't escape life…or fate._

* * *

It was only supposed to happen once again, but both of them realized they had never fallen out of love… 

No, the only thing they had lost was their chance.

All they had lost was the game of life.

They lost each other.

They lost love…

And crimson droplets fell.

_

* * *

Can you forgive us for the red tears that you cry? _

_So stop living this lie…Sasuke…Neji…and maybe in the Next World it won't have to end this way again…_

* * *

"_Love never wanted me  
__But I took it anyway.  
Put your ear to the speaker  
and choose love or sympathy  
but never both.  
Love never wanted me."_

-Fall Out Boy**

* * *

A/N:** The whole thing was a lot of small stories in one...too jumpy. I'm sticking to drabbles…eh.

Dedicated to my awesome friends, who could probably make this piece of shit into something more meaningful. Especially Tales-dono and Haku-chan. -Hugcling-

The lyrics are from Fall Out Boy's CD, _From Under the Cork Tree._ The first is "Get Busy Living Or Get Busy Dying (Do Your Part To Save The Scene And Stop Going To Shows)" and the second is "XO." I know the CD has been out for quite some time, but if you should get it, because I command you to.

(1) ItaNejiSasu triangle. I couldn't help it.

(2) I call it artificial insemination. Do you?

(3) Go Tenten narration. -waves a Give Tenten a Back Story flag-

(4) To cover up their little mess, Neji used a water jutsu to clean it all away.

Now go review or something.


End file.
